After months of construction, the Utah Transit Authority has opened the new pedestrian bridge at Provo Central Station. The public celebrated its opening in a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, November 14.
The goal of the bridge was to improve safety, air quality, and to more efficiently connect downtown Provo to the broader public transportation network. While the bridge is operational, elevators within the structures are not yet usable. They’re still pending inspections from state government.
It cost roughly $7 million to build the bridge. 35% was paid by federal funding and 65% was paid by local sources. The bridge spans two FrontRunner tracks and two Union Pacific Railroad lines near 600 South and 100 West in Provo, Utah. It’s 145 feet long.
For pedestrians, this area is often blocked by trains. This makes crossing difficult, dangerous, and at times impossible. This bridge addresses those challenges.
Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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By McKinsleigh Smith
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (one of the international faith’s highest governing bodies), passed away at about 11:15 PM on Sunday, November 12, 2023 with loved ones by his side. He was 95 years old.
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Ballard joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 1985. He was announced as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on January 16, 2018, assuming the duties of President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Dallin H. Oaks, after he was called to the faith’s First Presidency, its highest governing body. Ballard helped oversee the spiritual and organizational affairs of a church of more than 17 million members spread all over the world.
Of Ballard, Church President Russell M. Nelson said, “President Ballard was never indecisive. He knew exactly what the Lord taught and how it could be applied in one’s personal life and bring joy and happiness.”
Funeral services for President M. Russell Ballard will be held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday, November 17, 2023, from 11 AM to noon MST.
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The funeral will be open to the public, and attendees must be 8 years old or older. The Temple Square gates and the Tabernacle doors will open at 9:30 AM. Attendees should be seated by 10:30 AM.
The funeral services will be streamed live on the Church’s Broadcasts page and Inspiration and Events YouTube channel (both available in Cantonese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish), as well as BYUtv.
A private burial service will take place at the Salt Lake City Cemetery immediately after the service. There will be no public viewing. In lieu of flowers, President Ballard’s family has asked that donations be made to This Is The Place Heritage Park.
A man died after being hit by a vehicle on southbound I-15 near American Fork, Utah. According to troopers, he was hit and killed after exiting his vehicle.
Utah Highway Patrol arrived at the incident at roughly 7 AM on November 13. A car had struck the right barrier, and then (for reasons troopers are still trying to determine), the driver exited the vehicle and walked back toward traffic. He was then hit by an oncoming vehicle.
While no one in the other car was injured, this man suffered fatal injuries. He has still not been identified.
The Utah Department of Transportation reports that the five right lanes of southbound traffic are closed and at a near standstill. A man we interviewed reported that he had moved only 600 feet in just under an hour. UDOT estimates the lanes will reopen around 11 AM.
Where the accident occurred (with the victim's body obscured out of respect). Photo courtesy Provo PD.
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By Mike Romero
The Provo Police department has arrested and booked Jose Sandoval into the Utah County jail on suspicion of failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving a fatality. He has not yet been formally charged.
Around 4:30 AM on Friday, October 27, Provo PD received a report of a man lying near Center Street on the east side of 500 West, headed northbound. The man was 43-year-old Brian Coltharp, who had been hit by a moving vehicle.
According to Provo Police Department public information officer Janna-Lee Holland, for some reason Coltharp – who was wearing dark clothing – fell into the roadway and did not get up. A light-colored van then traveled through the intersection and hit him, but did not remain at the scene. Provo PD obtained this information after reviewing footage from traffic cameras.
“It is not known if the driver knew they hit a person, or thought they hit an object,” Holland said. Later in the morning, officers obtained license plate information and located the vehicle and driver, Jose Sandoval.
To absolutely nobody’s surprise, The Democratic National Committee has actively kept Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from securing the Democratic Nomination. Only 10 incumbent US presidents have lost re-election – the most recent being Donald Trump. On paper, throwing their weight behind Joe Biden seems like the right move in order to maintain maximum political power.
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However, polls are showing that a vast majority of Americans don’t think Biden is fit for office. A CNN poll suggested that two-thirds of registered Democrats and left-leaning independents would prefer someone other than Joe Biden. An AP poll from September showed that 77% of Americans think Biden is too old to serve another term.
Kennedy, the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy, announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in April of 2023. As someone with a storied American political heritage – but who has not held public office himself – Kennedy is in a unique position. Like Donald Trump, he can position himself as an anti-establishment outsider. But unlike Trump, he can be seen as someone trying to heal the system by restoring it to the “good old days” instead of trying to dismantle or “drain” it.
Photo by Gage Skidmore.
It will be interesting to see how Utahns respond to this new option. Last election, Utah had the second-highest percentage of votes cast for 3rd party candidates at 4.2% – second only to Alaska at 4.4%. 37.7% of Utah voters also voted for Joe Biden in 2020 instead of Donald Trump – the highest Democratic showing for the state since 2008.
The state’s opposition to both Donald Trump and the Democratic Party was made clearest in the 2016 election, when 21.5% of voters opted for independent candidate Evan McMullin, who launched his campaign late and with far less of the political connections, family history, or financial backing RFK Jr. has.
With many Utahns showing disdain for Donald Trump’s irreligious, bawdy, and tawdry behavior, Kennedy’s open Catholic devotion may be seen as a breath of fresh air. His opposition to mandatory vaccinations, goals to ease the housing crisis (with which Utah is struggling considerably ), and tough-but-humanitarian border policy may resonate with Utah Republicans.
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However, his his goal of raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, his focus on the environment, and his former affiliation with the Democratic Party may be too problematic for staunch Republicans. This may be enough to win Utah Democrats over, though. Especially since they don’t have a lot to lose: Utah hasn’t swung Democrat since 1964.
Only time will tell. But with Utah’s recent erratic voting behavior, it may become a key player in future elections – especially as the Republican Party drifts from its “values” and descends further into chaos.
Last Thursday, Provo woman Nelly Idowu was convicted in federal court after participating in an online romance scheme. Idowu, age 39, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering.
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From 2017 to 2019, Idowu and three others created tons of fake online profiles on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Christian Mingle. They would then use these profiles to target victims, primarily single elderly women over 65, and flirt with them. Once a romantic bond had been formed, they would claim they were in dire financial circumstances and in need of help. All told, they scammed victims out of more than $6 million.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Idowu earned over $1 million into her personal and business bank accounts before sending the money out of the country in an attempt to conceal these earnings. These accounts were located in China and Nigeria.
The Salt Lake City FBI field office investigated the case. Charges were brought against Idowu and her co-conspirators in 2020. Idowu’s sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2024, at 10 AM at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.
It’s been 5 years since Alex Vaughn, Corey Fox, Paul Nahrwold, and Dean Cheesman unleashed Buzzards & Bees on the world. A spooky music festival Provo had never seen before, their vision featured costumed indie musicians and costumed concertgoers filling venues all across downtown Provo.
Utah’s only Halloween-themed music festival, it consists of two events: Goth Prom and the Buzzards & Bees Music Festival itself. Goth Prom is a kickoff event for the weekend and is held every year at Velour Live Music Gallery on University Avenue. Participants dress as their saddest selves and have the time of their lives. The actual music festival is Saturday and features 80+ Utah bands.
Goth Prom featuring DJ KID MACHINE will take place tonight, October 20. Buzzards & Bees will take place across 11 venues in downtown Provo on October 21, 2023. Tickets for both events are on sale now.
Additional festivities include street performers, a costume contest, a mask-making station, spooky story-telling, and more. One ticket gets you in to all 11 venues. It’s one of the busiest single nights of the year for Provo music. Check out the schedule below.
Advertisement for Provo’s Halloween Music Festival.
By Charlie G. Patreus
On September 19, 2023, C. Shane Reese officially became the 14th president of Brigham Young University (BYU). This occasion not only marked his formal inauguration but also unveiled his unwavering commitment to help BYU realize its full potential, which Latter-day Saints believe is divine.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, along with President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and first vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, presided over President Reese’s installation.
After taking office, President Reese gave a speech that emphasized his dedication to the university and the crucial role that faculty and students play in fulfilling BYU’s “spiritual mission.” He reiterated the visions of previous leaders (regarded as prophets in the faith) regarding BYU’s future.
Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU.
BYU is unique from other educational institutions because it was founded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is still overseen by the government and leadership of the faith. President Reese explained that this unique connection allows the university to benefit from the guidance of the faith’s prophets, including the vision of President Spencer W. Kimball, who articulated a compelling roadmap for BYU’s future.
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“Our task is to become the university that prophets foretold — to becomethe world’s ‘greatest institution of learning,’ ‘the fully anointed university of the Lord about which so much has been spoken in the past,’ to become the BYU of prophecy and promise,” Reese said. “This, then, is the challenge of our generation and the burden of my administration: becoming BYU.”
President Reese stressed that achieving this vision requires enhancing the student experience and reinforcing the student-centric approach. Each student’s “eternal progression” remains BYU’s top priority. He also emphasized the Latter-day Saint belief that each person is a child of God who can be connected to Jesus Christ, and the importance of inclusion and kindness.
Those in attendance in the BYU Marriott Center for the inauguration of C. Shane Reese. Photo by Brooklynn Jarvis Kelson/BYU.
According to Reese’s philosophy, “Becoming BYU” will also demand maintaining a strong religious identity, even when it means standing alone. That means supporting research aligned with the Church’s mission. It will be interesting to watch BYU pioneer discovery and innovation while balancing tradition, transparency, and intellectual honesty.
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Expressing his love and dedication to the BYU community, President Reese committed to making Provo’s university a unique learning environment, fostering peacemakers in an increasingly divided society.
Following President Reese’s remarks, Elder Christofferson and Elder Ronald A. Rasband recognized BYU’s special connection with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and expressed confidence in President Reese’s leadership.
C. Shane Reese took the place of Kevin J. Worthen, who served from 2014-2023. Watch highlights from the inauguration below.
BYUtv Sports made a name for itself during the independence era of Brigham Young University Athletics. As a college sports team unaffiliated with a major conference, the school had to build out the resources and connections that would allow their games to reach BYU fans all over the world. One of the ways they did that was by investing heavily in the sports production arm of BYU Broadcasting. And boy has it paid off.
BYU Broadcasting was nominated for Best Live Sporting Event / Game (Single Game or Series). The team members nominated include producer Harrison Collier, director Michael Hunter, play-by-play announcer Spencer Linton, and analyst McKell Merkley. The group was nominated for their broadcast of the Best of Utah Gymnastics Meet. Gymnastics meets are notoriously difficult to cover because of both the variety and the sheer number of sub-events all happening simultaneously. Other organizations nominated include The Utah Jazz and Pac-12 Networks.
A still from the Best of Utah Gymnastics Meet, courtesy of BYUtv Sports.
BYU Broadcasting was also nominated for Best Live News Producer / Sports Producer. The nominee? BYUtv Sports producer Harrison Collier – his second nomination of 2023.
“I am grateful for the incredible talent I get to work with day in and day out at BYUtv,” says Collier. “Their commitment to telling the stories of the student athletes that we cover is second to none. Not many broadcast companies will do a four team gymnastics meet live. I’m grateful that we are being recognized for taking such risks.” In addition to his two nominations this year, he was a 2022 Emmy-nominee for Best Live Sporting Event. Collier is also a 4-time SVG award winner for live event production.
BYUtv Sports producer Harrison Collier.
For BYUtv and BYU Athletics, the independence era began in 2011 and ended in 2022 (notably with a bowl victory over SMU in the New Mexico Bowl during the football season). During that time, BYU played in front of millions on national television. They took on the likes of Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, Arkansas, and more.
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Independence was a huge win for the university. It put BYU in the national spotlight and was also a resounding financial success, according to publicly available earnings and expense data from the US Department of Education.
By setting the highest standards for their sports broadcasts, BYUtv Sports was able to land a deal with ESPN in 2011. ESPN became the official broadcaster for most BYU Football games. As part of that deal, one home game per season would air live on BYUtv along with reruns of home games that were broadcast on ESPN’s networks. That coverage also included the BYUtv Sports-produced pre-game and post-game shows like Countdown to Kickoff. BYUtv Sports and ESPN have a close working relationship to this day, even after joining the Big 12 Conference.
Photography by Nate Edwards/BYU Photo.
BYU Broadcasting’s reputation for quality extended well beyond football and basketball. BYUtv Sports consistently broadcasts sporting events for baseball, gymnastics, soccer, softball, and volleyball. In addition to this year’s nominations, their efforts have led to several regional Emmy nominations in preceding years.
Winners for this year will be announced at a black tie event on Saturday, November 4th 2023 at the Chateau Luxe in Phoenix, Arizona. Make sure to follow BYUtv Sports on Instagram. You can watch the broadcast of the 46th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Emmys Nominations below.
Over the last week, we’ve been spotlighting candidates running for Provo City Council. In Provo, our community is divided up into neighborhoods and districts. Members of the City Council represent districts. For districts with a large number of candidates, these candidates must undergo the Primary Election process.
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This year, only candidates for the Citywide II Seat are listed on the ballot for the primaries. The purpose of the Primary Election is to narrow down the number of candidates for the general election. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general ballot. District 1, District 3, and District 4 already have a narrow number of candidates, so they bypass the Primary Election process.
While the Primary Election is Tuesday, September 5, mail-in ballots have already been sent out to Provo residents who are active, registered voters, and voting is already underway. A postage paid envelope should have been provided for convenience, but to save taxpayer dollars, Utah County has provided several drop box locations. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked before election day.
Alternatively, you can drop your ballot off at an early voting location or an Election Day voting location. You can find a location near you here. While the deadline to register to vote in the Citywide II primaries has passed, voters may register to vote at an early voting location or at a polling location on Election Day. You’ll need to bring at least two forms of identification to the polling location to prove your citizenship and residency. The deadline to register to vote online is November 10.
The Primary Election is September 5, 2023. The General Election is November 21, 2023. Ballots will not be accepted after 8 PM on these days.
If you did not receive your ballot or need a replacement ballot, call Utah County at 801-851-8128.
Provo Tribune: Local News for the Provo/Orem Area 